Electrical and Computer Engineering at UCLA: A Comprehensive Overview
The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) program at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering stands as a prominent gateway for students aspiring to excel in the dynamic realms of technology and innovation. Offering comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs, UCLA ECE equips students with the foundational knowledge and specialized skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. This article provides an overview of the Electrical and Computer Engineering programs at UCLA, covering both undergraduate and graduate studies, highlighting key features, curriculum structure, and areas of specialization.
Undergraduate Programs
UCLA's undergraduate Electrical Engineering (EE) and Computer Engineering (CE) programs are designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the mathematical and scientific principles underlying these disciplines. The curricula are structured to provide a broad understanding of core concepts while allowing students to delve deeper into specific areas of interest.
Electrical Engineering (EE) B.S.
The Electrical Engineering B.S. program provides all Electrical Engineering majors with preparation in the mathematical and scientific disciplines that lead to a set of courses that span the fundamentals of the three major departmental areas of signals and systems, circuits and embedded systems, and physical wave electronics. Students are encouraged to make use of their electrical and computer engineering electives and a two-term capstone design course to pursue deeper knowledge within one of these areas according to their interests, whether for graduate study or preparation for employment.
Key Features:
- Curriculum Structure: The curriculum covers the fundamentals of signals and systems, circuits and embedded systems, and physical wave electronics.
- Capstone Experience: The Electrical Engineering major is a designated capstone major. Undergraduate students complete a design course in which they integrate their knowledge of the discipline and engage in creative design within realistic and professional constraints. Students apply their knowledge and expertise gained in previous mathematics, science, and engineering coursework.
- Interdisciplinary Opportunities: The technical breadth area requirement provides an opportunity to combine elective courses in the Electrical Engineering major with those from another UCLA Samueli major to produce a specialization in an interdisciplinary domain. Examples include Bioengineering and Informatics (BI), which focuses on the design of biomedical devices and data analysis, and Computer Engineering (CE), which concentrates on processor design and embedded systems.
- Preparation for Future: The electrical engineering curriculum provides an excellent background for either graduate study or employment. Undergraduate education in the department provides students with (1) fundamental knowledge in mathematics, physical sciences, and electrical engineering; (2) the opportunity to specialize in specific areas of interest or career aspiration; (3) intensive training in problem solving, laboratory skills, and design skills; and (4) a well-rounded education that includes communication skills, the ability to function well on a team, an appreciation for ethical behavior, and the ability to engage in lifelong learning. This education is meant to prepare students to thrive and to lead.
- Specialization Areas: Students can specialize in areas such as Communications Systems, Control Systems and Optimization, Electromagnetic Systems, Embedded Computing, Integrated Circuits, Photonics and Plasma Electronics, Signal Processing, Simulation and Data Analysis, and Solid-State and Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Devices.
Computer Engineering (CE) B.S.
The Computer Engineering B.S. program provides all computer engineering students with preparation in the mathematical and scientific disciplines that lead to a set of courses that span the fundamentals of the discipline in the major areas of data science and embedded networked systems. These collectively provide an understanding of many inventions of importance to our society, such as the Internet of Things, human-cyber-physical systems, mobile/wearable/implantable systems, robotic systems, and more generally smart systems at all scales in diverse spheres. The design of hardware, software, and algorithmic elements of such systems represents an already dominant and rapidly growing part of the computer engineering profession.
Key Features:
- Curriculum Focus: The curriculum emphasizes data science and embedded networked systems, providing an understanding of technologies such as the Internet of Things, cyber-physical systems, and robotic systems.
- Capstone Project: The Computer Engineering major is a designated capstone major that is jointly administered by the Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments. Undergraduate students complete a design course in which they integrate their knowledge of the discipline and engage in creative design within realistic and professional constraints. Students apply their knowledge and expertise gained in previous mathematics, science, and engineering coursework.
- Specialization Tracks: Students can choose to follow specific tracks such as Networked Embedded Systems, which focuses on cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things, or Data Science, which emphasizes the processing and analysis of sensory data for decision-making and control. Students are also free to design ad hoc tracks.
- Interdisciplinary Options: The technical breadth area requirement provides an opportunity to combine elective courses in electrical and computer engineering and computer science with those from another UCLA Samueli major to produce a specialization in an interdisciplinary domain.
Graduate Programs
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UCLA offers a Master of Science (M.S.) degree that allows students to gain a greater depth within the field. Students are expected to have completed a B.S. degree in engineering or a related field. The flexibility of the M.S. degree allows students to tailor their coursework to their specific interests while also providing a solid, graduate-level foundation.
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Master of Science (M.S.) Degree Options
The students may select one of our three M.S. The three M.S. M.S. Plans:
- Capstone - Courses Plan: As the default option for incoming M.S. students, the Capstone - Courses plan requires the completion of nine (9) four-unit, letter graded, graduate lecture courses. Five of these courses must be four-unit, letter graded graduate lecture courses from the ECE Department.
- Capstone - Project Plan: The M.S. Capstone - Project plan requires the completion of eight (8) four-unit, letter graded, graduate lecture courses. Additionally, students must complete guided research under their faculty advisor as a part of a project seminar during their final quarter.
- Thesis Plan: The M.S. Thesis plan is ideal for students who intend to pursue a research-oriented career or intend to continue into a doctoral program. The M.S. Thesis option requires that students complete seven (7) four-unit, letter graded, graduate lecture courses. Additionally, students must enroll in research units and nominate a thesis committee consisting of at least three faculty members who will guide their research.
General Requirements for All M.S. Plans:
- Students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0 throughout the duration of their M.S. Program.
- Students have a maximum of two (2) academic years, or six (6) academic quarters, to complete the M.S. Program.
Data Science Specialization
UCLA also offers a minor in Data Science. The minor is intended to expose students to the entire data science life cycle from both foundational and application perspectives. The foundational courses provide the engineering skills to collect, cleanse, and store data; analyze and draw inference from data; and take action and make decisions.
Minor Requirements:
- To apply for the minor, students must have an overall grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
- Students must have completed or be in the process of completing in the present quarter the two lower-division required courses with the grade B- or better.
- Students must file a petition through Message Center.
- Students must select two courses from the specified list. Note that Electrical and Computer Engineering 183DA and 183DB must both be taken to satisfy the requirement.
- Each minor course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have a minimum grade of C in each course and an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better in the minor.
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